§ Lord APSLEYasked the President of the Board of Trade if, taking the whole of the claims put forward to the Reparation Claims Department, he will state the number of claimants who have died since they first sent in their claims, and the number who are now being supported by Poor Law relief?
Mr. ALEXANDERI am afraid that the time and labour which would be required to go through all the files in the Department in order to answer the hon. Member's question would appreciably delay the work of the Department, and could not be justified.
§ Lord APSLEYasked the President of the Board of Trade if the Government proposes to give the House an opportunity of discussing the Report of Lord Sumner's Commission when presented; and whether, if the money already allocated to it is found to be insufficient, he will urge the Chancellor of the Exchequer to make further financial provision?
Mr. ALEXANDERI would point out that the first part of the question should be addressed to the Leader of the House; and as to the second, I would refer to the statement made by the President of the Board of Trade on the Motion for the Adjournment on 21st February.
§ Lord APSLEYasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the average amount of money received by the 26,000 people compensated by the Reparation Claims Department; and whether he will give the entire number of claims put forward, the number rejected entirely, the number still to be dealt with, and how many have been placed in the category of belated claims because the applicants have not sent in the requisite forms filled up and signed?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe average amount of money which has been paid to the 26,563 persons is slightly over £81; 519W and the entire number of claims put forward is approximately 87,000. The rest of the information desired comes within the scope of the Second Report of the Royal Commission on Compensation for Suffering and Damage by Enemy Action, and I would ask the hon. Member to await its publication.
§ Colonel PERKINSasked the President of the Board of Trade if, assuming that the £5,000,000 allotted to the Reparation Claims Department to meet the claims of British sailors torpedoed at sea by the Germans in the War proves to be insufficient, the Government will regard as just and legitimate a claim against the German Government for the necessary further payment to these men who have suffered at their hands?
Mr. ALEXANDERI would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the statement which was made by the President of the Board of Trade on the Motion for the Adjournment on 21st February.